Damn.

Demons could control fire. Apparently, angels could, too.

Nicole managed to shut her mouth. Then she shook her head. “You should have mentioned that little talent sooner.” She could have saved some bullets. Actually, she would save some. Silver would definitely come in handy for her at some point.

The vamps were running, really hauling butt now. Nicole tucked the weapon into the back waistband of her jeans.

Keenan glanced at his smoking fingers. “Didn’t realize I had the talent.”

She pushed him toward the door. “Keep that hand up. You might have to burn us a way out of here.”

But, no, the vamps had scattered. The humans were still there, and they stared with dazed eyes and bloody bodies.

Nicole’s jaw locked. Why do they choose to be prey?

“Come on,” Keenan said, and his fingers wrapped around her wrist. She jerked at the contact because his touch was so hot. Not hot enough to burn, but …

She swallowed and her gaze met his. “Keenan …”

He’d already looked away. “I should burn this place to the ground.”

“They won’t leave,” she said, waving her hand toward the humans. “They’re too far gone. You burn it, and they’ll die.”

He stalked toward the door. She glanced back, that blood tempting her …

Until she met those vacant stares. Lost. Helpless. Desperate.

Me.

The motorcycle was still parked outside. A miracle in this neighborhood. She secured the gun in the saddlebags, and they climbed onto the bike. He revved the engine, then they streaked forward. She held on tight, as tight as she could, and drunk in the heat that flowed off his body the way she’d normally drink in blood.

A shudder shook him, a long, hard shudder. Her hold tightened on him. “Keenan?”

The motorcycle sped faster as it ate up the pavement. She glanced back. No sign of vamps.

He snaked to the left. To the right. Then he turned down an alley and the motorcycle snarled to a stop. He jumped off the bike at once and stormed away from her.

“Keenan?” She sat on the bike, uncertain as she watched him. “What’s wrong?”

He jerked at his shirt and ripped the material from collar to waist, a long, jagged tear that revealed his chest. “So … hot.”

She cleared her throat. When you conjured fire, it stood to reason you might get a bit … warm.

But, wait, he was sweating. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes kept flickering from blue to black.

Not good.

Her gaze swept the alley. “We’re not safe here.” Understatement of the century. She didn’t see anyone, but thanks to her vamp-enhanced hearing, could hear the slight shuffle of footsteps. Someone hunted here.

Of course, these days, someone hunted everywhere.

“ So … damn … hot.”

She jumped off the motorcycle and went to him. One touch and, oh yes, he was hot. Burning as if he had a fever. “You really haven’t ever conjured fire before?” She didn’t know how this whole creating fire thing worked.

He jerked his head in a no.

“Great. Okay.” She pulled him a little closer and let her gaze sweep down the alley once more. “I saw a little motel a few turns back.” One of those no-tell motels that charged by the hour. “We’ll hide out there, dunk you under a cold shower, and you’ll be fine in no time.” Maybe. He’d be fine or …

He’d start burning everything around him.

Uh, oh. Right then, she was the closest thing to him.

That blue/black gaze bored into her. “You need to get away from me.”

Because he’d obviously had the same thought. If he couldn’t pull this power back, she’d be feeling the burn up close and personal. Like witches, vamps burned too fast.

Despite the rumors out there, vamps actually weren’t that hard to kill. An old-fashioned stake and a beheading worked. Bleeding out—yeah, that would give you a dead vamp, too. Or … you could always let the flames take a vamp straight to hell. Trade one fire for another.

She swallowed. “You need me.” Because the guy seemed to be having trouble standing. He hadn’t left her when she was at her breaking point, and she wouldn’t leave him.

Unless the fire got too close.

Nicole pulled him back toward the motorcycle. She climbed on first. “Just … put your arms around me. Hold on, for a little while.”

He eased down behind her. The bike dipped beneath his weight. Then his hands came up and curled around her stomach. His heat lanced right through her T-shirt. But it wasn’t painful. Not even close.




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